Confessions

I was on my way back to the office, driving from Stouffville to Bradford, which meant that I went through Newmarket, past the Jones of New York store right at lunch time. What could I do?

The lure of the January sale and possible bargains was strong, so I pulled into the large parking lot of the strip mall, deep in melting slushy snow left over from the morning's snow fall. I parked my car as close as I could to the store, and splooshed my way across the parking lot with all speed.

I can power shop with the best, and less than half an hour later, having tried on about ten tops, I emerged with a zippy little black and white top that I liked, for only $14.99.

I fished in my purse for my automatic car starter, pointed it in the direction in which I had left my car and pressed the buttons that start the car and unlock the doors; then I started the hunt for a car with a running engine. I spotted it. The engine wasn't running but the doors were unlocked. I need to buy new batteries because it doesn't always work first time.

As I got in, I noticed that the hand brake was on. I never use the handbrake, so I thought that someone had been in the car. My snow brush was still down on the floor on the passenger side, but I glanced around the car to make sure my briefcase was there as I released the handbrake.

Three things happened simultaneously then. I noticed blue gloves on the back seat, and mine are black; I realized that this was a standard shift car and mine is not; and I perceived that the car had been left in neutral, because it was rolling forward into the lane between the rows of parked cars! As the realization dawned that I was in someone else's car, I desperately hit the brakes to stop it going any further.

The car was stopped halfway across the lane between the rows of cars but I had no way of getting it back and no way of knowing whose car it was.

So I sheepishly put the handbrake back on, got out, closed the door, and went back to innocently looking for my own car; all the while imagining what the owner would think when she came back and found that her car had moved forward by several feet.

The owner of the vehicle that was parked across from it decided to leave just then. I noticed that they had great difficulty backing out, but was relieved to see that they managed somehow.

It wasn't until I was back in the office confessing the whole story through tears of laughter to a coworker, that I thought that I could have left a note of apology on the windshield. I was truly too embarrassed at the time to think of that.

So that was the news from Belindaland. I guess my offering for today is laughter. Somewhere out there is a very puzzled car owner. I laugh every time I try to imagine her reaction when she found it. And I am sure that from now on she will lock it.

Comments

Anonymous said…
So THAT'S what happened to my car today!
Anonymous said…
THIS is what comes from shopping at Jones of New York. :-)
Belinda said…
Yes! I lost all equilibrium. That's it; it's all the fault of Jones of New York. :)
Joyful Fox said…
Oh Belinda,

That issssss ssoooo funny!

When you told that story, I remember I too had done that once. I had my red Toyoto Tercel then. It wasn't till I put the key in the ignition that I noticed those tell-a-tale signs. For me it was my tape case (no CD's back then), my Kleenex box, and sunglasses that were absent. Instead there was a portfolia, gum, and a collection of loose change, as well as a coffee cup in the drink holder (not mine) that I didn't recognize.

I sheepishly looked all around right away and then quickly and steathily got out. The gales of laughter came when I was safely in my own car.

Thanks for this morning's laughter and the memory of my own blonde experience.
Angcat said…
Hey B.,
Haven't you done this before...?
I seem to remember a tale a few years ago of a car, a key and a police station.
Hmmm, the things our readers don't know.
:-)
HeeHee
Brenda said…
That was so funny! I have a car story, too. When I was in the mall just before Christmas I came out and couldn't find my car anywhere. It was not where I left it....just an empty space. I couldn't figure out why anyone would want to steal an old, banged up vehicle when there were so many nicer ones around. So I went back in the mall to report it to the police as stolen. The police officer patiently listened to my frantic story and told me I should go get a security guard to walk around the parking lot with me and we would probably find it. I bit back,"Lady I don't have time for that! I've been looking for the last 15 minutes and it's gone! And I need to get home to Windsor for Christmas! We started out last night and had to turn back because of car trouble!....and now it's snowing like blazes and we have a seven hour trip ahead of us! Please just take my report so I can call my husband!" She took my report while I tried to remember all the details and then I phoned Rick and Ben to tell them what had happened. They arrived about 15 minutes later. Meanwhile I was fuming and scheming about how to get to Windsor and deal with the stolen car. I didn't want anything else to get in the way of our trip. Loved ones were waiting for us and we were already a day late. Rick and Ben pulled up and told me to get in the car. I started yelling, 'I'm not crazy! I'm not crazy! The car is gone! (Lots of seemingly crazy things have been happening to me lately and Ben and a few others think I have lost my marbles. It's really just a good dose of the Holy Spirit penetrating my world! Susan can vouch for me. :) They shoved me into the car and started to drive.....over to the stolen car. There is was....right where I had left it!...I had come out another door...not the same one I entered. Then I had to eat humble pie and call the police officer back and explain what happened. She said,"It's O.K. ma'am. It happens all the time.
Belinda said…
Ha ha Brenda! You made me feel better about me! We ARE both blond though, aren't we? Ouch, did I say that?

And Ang, that other car story? Yeah, that might just surface sometime soon! :)
Heather Simmons said…
Nice top, Belinda...worth the drama!!

(On a more serious note...I'm fairly new to the blog. I came to it via 'Chewing the Fat' and I've been 'lurking' for a few weeks now.
I have an...interesting...relationship with God and I would hesitate to call myself a Christian any more but would say that my heart is turned towards God but my walk is not in a straight line...anyway...I have so appreciated this blog...my heart has been touched and you've made me think...it has been a real blessing to me...thank you)
H
Belinda said…
Dear Heather,
You are warmly welcomed with all of our hearts. A "heart turned towards God" is a good place for anyone to be and I'm touched and honoured that this is a place you enjoy visiting.

I wore the top proudly today. It will always make me laugh!
Susan said…
That top looks a LOT better on you than it does on the hanger. You looked awesome in it today. Or was it that the top looked awesome on you? Either way, it was quality all the way!
Belinda said…
Thanks Susan. I seem to be the woman of famous tops. Each one I own has a story! :)
Violet N. said…
Too funny, Belinda!
Belinda said…
Thanks Violet! I think that laughter can be a holy thing. I think that God loves to hear and see us splitting our sides with laughter, holding our sides because they hurt so much and the tears are rolling down our cheeks. I think that he loves that!

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